Not sure why you blame your coach when it's up to the players to actually show up. Yah, Vigneault isn't exactly Scotty Bowman, but when you build your team around a couple of fancy-passing Euros and a goalie controversy, you're bound to have problems.

As the token Sharks fan around here, I agree that the last call against VAN sucked. You hate to see that in a playoff overtime (let alone an elimination game). From the outside, I'd agree that the Sedins need to be split up (I wouldn't necessarily dump both of them). When they're out there together, they like playing little passing games like they're playing on their backyard ice. That's fine on the PP, but there isn't enough room 5-on-5, and their overpassing leads to long shifts and tired legs. Why not put them on different lines with at least ONE physical player? Plus, they have ZERO trade value right now (like Luongo).

Kesler is a stud. I kinda like Edler, but Bieksa seems like a loose cannon and a penalty waiting to happen. Plus he always looks like he just bit into a lemon.

I'd say this one is more on the GM than the coach. The coach can only try to optimize the guys he's been given... and I don't think Vancouver had enough depth (gee, maybe trading one of the goalies could've helped...) to compete with a team that could roll four lines.

Yah, but the goalie "situation" could've been solved by trading ONE of them to a goalie-starved team for a top-six forward. Goalies are a useful commodity (assuming they don't have perpetual contracts), and can be successfully shifted for other commodities.... if your GM knows what he's doing.

Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis didn’t mince words during his postseason press conference, calling the team’s 2012-13 campaign a “terrible season” after their ouster at the hands of the San Jose Sharks in Round 1.

"We’re going to have to reinvent ourselves and do things differently in order to be successful. The macro look at this team is that changes have to be made,” said Gillis.

On Wednesday, changes were made: According to Louis Jean of TVA, head coach Alain Vigneault and assistant coaches Rick Bowness and Newell Brown were all fired by Gillis in a massive house cleaning for the franchise.

It was later confirmed by the Canucks:

“We have made the very difficult decision to relieve Alain Vigneault, Rick Bowness and Newell Brown of their coaching duties today,” said Canucks President and General Manager, Michael D. Gillis. “Alain, Rick and Newell worked tirelessly to lead this team to great on-ice success. I am personally grateful to each of them and their families for their commitment to the Canucks and the city of Vancouver and wish them continued success in future.”

Vigneault coached the Canucks from 2006-2013, winning 313 games. He captured the Jack Adams in 2006-07, and coached Vancouver to the playoffs in six of those seasons, including that Stanley Cup Final loss to the Boston Bruins in seven games.

But he guided the team to back-to-back first-round playoff losses over the last two seasons, as the Canucks were humbled by both the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks. Vancouver’s offense went stone cold in both series.

The Canucks were viewed as a Stanley Cup contender in both seasons; they didn’t come close either time, and Vigneault was reportedly shown the door.

There are likely as many fans who called for the head of Gillis as called for the head of AV. The notion of total regime change for Vancouver probably didn’t make sense to ownership, who see the window still open for this edition of the Canucks to win. But the mismanagement by Gills – being too focused on the blue line, adding offensive pieces that didn't pan out – is as much a factor in Vancouver’s underwhelming results as anything the coach did.

As for the Canucks: If they’re “win now,” and one assumes they are, could the next move be former Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff? What about Toronto Marlies coach Dallas Eakins, who is now allowed to listen to offers with the AHL team’s season over? Would they turn to Guy Boucher, recently dropped by the Tampa Bay Lightning?